


We're burning down the highway skyline

by likeamigraine (eatintoothpaste)



Category: American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Genre: Gen, New Gods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-10
Updated: 2012-04-10
Packaged: 2017-11-03 09:54:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/380111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eatintoothpaste/pseuds/likeamigraine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>«Choose me as your leader,» he says, smiling his best fake smile. He is wearing a Burberry black coat, and an Armani suit of the same colour with a Valentino white shirt and silk necktie. He's handsome, charming, young, smart and fierce. He's everything they look for in a leader. Actually, he's the very image of the New Gods' ideal leader. Even his scarred smile is somewhat fascinating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We're burning down the highway skyline

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Мы сжигаем дотла линию горизонта](https://archiveofourown.org/works/955490) by [Herber_baby17](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Herber_baby17/pseuds/Herber_baby17)



> Beta-read by **Harriet_yuuko**.
> 
> Title © The Killers.

Becoming their leader is extremely easy – truth be told, there are just a few things that Loki finds hard to accomplish, but this one is a really easy one. As easy as tricking Thor into believe, well, anything. The so-called "New Gods" are young, scared and lost, albeit powerful. And they are totally shambolic.

All he needs to convince them is his silver tongue. His introducing speech is utterly simple: «You are powerful, but your power is useless, unless you gang up. You need a leader, and that leader is me. I'll bring you order and war plans. We are going to start a war and we are going to win it. It'll boost up your sinews. It'll make you immortal. Otherwise, you can keep on living like this, in fear and using just a small percentage of your real power.»

It takes him nearly a month to track them all down – they are a lot, and every day there's someone new, someone who replaces some already old New God. Sometimes they die after a few days, their power is initially all-consuming and then fading fast, like a dying chemical fire. Their power makes them useful and their fear and anxiety of being constantly up-to-date makes them ruthless and easy to manipulate: they are perfect.

«Choose me as your leader,» he says, smiling his best fake smile. He is wearing a Burberry black coat, and an Armani suit of the same colour with a Valentino white shirt and silk necktie. He's handsome, charming, young, smart and fierce. He's everything they look for in a leader. Actually, he's the very image of the New Gods' ideal leader. Even his scarred smile is somewhat fascinating.

The Fat Kid immediately says yes. He wants to be like this mysterious young man. He wants to learn everything from him, he wants to have someone cool and awesome to look up to. «I'll introduce you to a dear friend of mine,» he says, volunteering to help him in his quest. Loki smiles at him and the Fat Kid feels his engines warming up around the spot where a mechanical heart pumps oil into his body.

They meet Media in a nice restaurant, where everything is white and they serve you small portions of food on big, shiny dishes. The Fat Kid grumbles about it and orders something like ten mini-steaks and five mini-desserts. «This is my favourite restaurant,» says Media, smiling at Loki – she finds him extremely good looking and thinks that he'd become America's new boyfriend in a heartbeat, if he ever was to be featured on some tv show. «I hope you like it, Mr...»

Loki smiles and he drinks a sip of white wine. Then he says, already warming to his new name: «Mr. World. You can call me Mr. World. Because that's what we're aiming for.»


End file.
